The Threat
by Rosella-Marie
Summary: The Gaang go to visit Firelord Zuko, but there's a new and dangerous threat emerging. Only Aang and Zuko know, and they plan to tell the rest of the Gaang, but they never get the chance. Will they defeat this new threat? This will be mostly written in third person POV, but may change in some chapters.
1. Chapter 1

The Threat

**Hello! I'm back with a multi-chapter story! *Insert surprised overly dramatic gasp here.* I really hope you like it! :) Soooo here's the first chapter of "The Threat"**

Prologue

"As the setting provides, our teenage protagonists-"

"No, no, no Sokka! They don't want us to narrate the story like that!"

"Well _sorry _Katara! D'you think you can do better?" The teenage water tribe warrior stuck his tounge out at her.

Katara rolled her eyes, "Yes, in fact, I do!"

"Well, please do show us."

"The story starts with the Gaang flying on Appa to see Zuko..."

Chapter one: Firelord Zuko

"We're here guys! Wake up!" The sixteen year old airbender and Avatar called.

"Huh, what?" Katara woke up first, "We're at the palace?" She questioned.

"Yup! Can you wake everyone else up? I need to find a place to land Appa."

"Sure."

As Katara went to wake up Suki, Sokka, and Toph, Aang flew around trying to find a place to land Appa. He saw someone walk out of the palace doors and look up. They were surprised at first to see a flying bison, but they soon realized it was the Avatar and his friends. Aang was trying to figure out who it was, when the person called up to them.

"Come land in the Plaza, Zuko will meet you there." The monotoned voice said.

"Ok, thanks!" Aang recognized the voice, and he suddenly realized who it was. "It's nice to see you, Mai!"

She gave a rare smile when he landed in the Plaza. "Nice to see you too, Aang."

The rest of the Gaang slid down Appa's tail and said their greetings to the Firelord's girlfriend.

"...And I want you to send a letter to the Earth King, wherever he is now, saying that he needs to be back in time for the council meeting."

"Yes, sir. Right away!"

"Thank you." The young man kept walking after the messenger fell behind and went to deliver the letter. He noticed the crowd of people in the Plaza, and the sky bison. But mostly the sky bison. "Hello?"

Mai turned around. "Zuko! The Gaang just got here."

"Hey everybody! Why don't we go inside for some tea? My uncle is here. And making tea. As usual." He smiled and chuckled.

A chorus of 'Hey Zuko's rang out. As well as 'Sure!'s. They all went inside, but Zuko hung back and stopped Aang.

"Did you get my letter?" He whispered.

The Avatar nodded grimly. "Yes. Have there been any sightings?"

"Not that I know of. I just had a messenger deliver a message to the Earth King, telling him to be back in time for the council meeting."

"Good. We need this to be stopped right away. It's dangerous to leave this problem lingering for too long."

Zuko nodded in agreement.

"Oh, and where should I keep Appa?"

"I'll have someone get a place for him."

"Thanks Zuko!"

"Anytime."

* * *

"So, what brings you all here?" Iroh asked cheerfully as he poured tea into everyone's cup.

"Oh, nothing important. Just thought we'd visit!" Aang answered.

"Well, it's nice to see you all." Iroh smiled.

They all nodded and smiled.

They sat in the living area of Mai and Zuko's room. Chatting about random events that had happened since the war ended, Aang and Zuko never mentioned "the threat". They had decided, via letter, that they wouldn't worry their friends with this turn of events until absolutely necessary. Guards had doubled around the palace, and they were out patrolling the streets, as well as the newly established police. The police were out in all the other nations, just so controversy wouldn't show up this early after the war had ended.

"Well, Zuko and I have good news." Mai said, not sounding that excited, but they all knew she was very excited.

"Really? What is it?" They all asked.

"We're getting married."

"Congratulations!" Katara smiled and hugged them.

"Congrats Zuko." Sokka slapped him in the back. "And Mai." He smiled.

"Ow!" Zuko rubbed his arm.

"What, that's my way of saying congratulations!" Toph defended. "Don't worry Mai, I won't punch you."

"Thanks." She smirked.

"There must be so much planning. If there's anything I can do, let me know!" Katara offered.

"Oh, don't even get us started." Mai rolled her eyes. "There's so much planning, and pressure on us to have a traditional Fire Nation wedding. And on top of that, we, well mostly Zuko, have to deal with all this crazy running the Fire Nation. It's chaos here. So we love the offer. I might have to take you up on that!"

Just then, the minister who deliverd the message from earlier came bursting through the door.

"Sir! I have some very important, and urgent news."

"What is it?" Zuko looked worried.

"The Earth King has been taken hostage."

**Dun dun dun! Well, I hope that was enough of a cliffhanger ending for you. And sorry if it's too short! Constructive critisicm welcome:)**

**-RMarie**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**Hello! Sorry it's taken me so long to post this next chapter, I was kind of out of ideas, and thought that this story wasn't that good. But, I'm back with chapter 2! I hope it's good.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.**

* * *

_Previously…_

_ "Did you get my letter?" He whispered._

_ The avatar nodded grimly, "Have there been any sightings?"_

_ "Not that I know of."_

"_We're getting married." Mai said._

_ "Sir! The earth king has been kidnapped!"_

* * *

"Kidnapped? Oh, that's not good." Aang exclaimed, "He needed to be back for the next council meeting. And that's in a week. I guess we'll have to post-pone the meeting until we find him."

"Aang, will you join me in my study? I think we need to talk. Now." Zuko said, with a straight face.

"Yeah, meet you there." Aang nodded. He assured everyone that they would find the Earth king, and that he and Zuko would be back soon. Aang gave Katara a quick kiss, then ran off to catch up with Zuko.

"Zuko, you don't think…?"

"Yeah, I do. It's the most logical idea at this point. Has Azula been of any assistance to you?" Zuko pulled the key out of his robe and unlocked the door to his study.

They walked into the room and sat down, "Not really. She keeps saying one thing over and over again though." Aang said, sitting down in a chair beside the FireLord.

"What has she been saying?" Zuko cocked his head to the side.

"Azula keeps saying: _The threat, the threat, that's all you'll get from me, you'll see. It jumps it jumps from tree to tree, see it once and away you'll flee. We all know the threat from one past life, but to see it again will cut like a knife. _It gives me the shivers every time she says it, because it reminds me of this reoccurring dream I've been having."

"That riddle does sound familiar…" Zuko shook his head, "Like a distant memory. Tell me about this dream."

"Well, I'm walking through a forest, and there are people jumping from tree to tree, and singing an old Airbender hymn. As I keep walking through the forest, the voices get louder, and I feel like there's someone watching me. The people jumping from tree to tree have been following me this whole time, but I don't think it's them watching me. A body drops down and it's too dark for me to see who it is, and my bending doesn't work, so I can't firebend. But then I see a knife in their hand that's stained red. That's when I wake up to Katara telling me I've been thrashing around and singing the hymn." Aang smiled sheepishly.

"How does the hymn go? Maybe it'll give us clues." Zuko asked.

"Along the wind floats a tiny leaf, waiting to find a place to rest. The people below, watch it go and pray it finds a home. One child so brave steps forward to save the leaf from drowning in a pond. But the child so young can't bend the air, so he takes the grave instead."

"Wow. For peaceful people, the Airbenders had creepy hymns," Zuko shivered, "Well, it has to do with floating in the wind, and leaves go on trees. So, let's go on that for figuring out what our big threat is. As for the Earth King, we need to map out where he was seen and who he was with in the past week. We'll send out a message to the Earth kingdom and get those maps. Now, let's get back out there."

They saw a messenger on the way back and gave him the instructions to send for a document of the Earth kings movements. They requested it to be delivered as soon as possible. Aang and Zuko arrived back at the common room to find everyone enjoying tea and laughing at Sokka's bad jokes.

Katara was the first to notice them back, "Everything OK?"

"Yep! We've sent for a document of the King's whereabouts for the past week, and we've also set up an effective plan for rescuing him from wherever he's been taken to." Zuko reassured the group.

They spent the rest of the afternoon in the Firelord's palace, drinking tea and talking about when they were young.

* * *

"_The threat, the threat, that's all you'll get from me. You'll see along the wind floats a tiny leaf, waiting to find a place to rest. It jumps it jumps from tree to tree, the people below watch it go and pray it finds a home. One child so brave steps forward to save the leaf from drowning in a pond. See it once and away you'll flee. For the child so young can't bend the air, so he takes the grave instead. We all know the threat from one past life, but to see it again will cut like a knife." _Azula's voice chants through the darkness in the prison.

"She's getting worse, Anjo." One guard said.

"Yeah, I have the feeling this'll have to be brought to the attention of Firelord Zuko." Anjo said, then paused, "Hey, Lee?"

"What's up?"

"She's usually still talking, and doesn't stop 'till late at night."

"So?"

"Why has she stopped?"

The two guards looked at each other, and ran down the corridor to Azula's cell to find it empty.

"Looking for me, boys?" A sharp voice asked form behind.

Anjo and Lee turned to see Azula standing in front of them, her hands lit up in blue flames.

There was a fire that night in the prizon, as well as the breakout of the Firenation's most locked down prisoner.

Azula.

* * *

**Ohhh snap. Azula has broken out of prison! Hope you liked that chapter. Constructive criticism welcome :)**


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